Lavatory flush valve



May 31, 1949.

J. SWEENEY LAVATORY FLUSH vALvEf Filed 001'.. 4, 1947 me. l

INVENTQR JOSEPH SWEENEY ATTORN Y Patented May 3 1, 1949 UN ITE ES FFI CE LAVATORY FLUSH'VALVE Joseph Sweeney, Auburn, N. Y. Application "October 4, 1947, Serialv No; 178,009

4 Claims.

1 This'inventionrelates to lavatory yllush valves andfmore particularly' toa valve construction adapted,` whenI operated,- to close `automatically after a predetermined intervalI of time.

One of the objects `ofthe Apresent invention isto providea flush' valve in which the period of'v operation may be accurately and conveniently adjusted and controlled;

Anotherobject is-to provide'such a valve which will pass the maximum amount` oir-Water during a predetermined operating period.

Still "another object is to provide a self-closing flush valve-Which will permitl 'fm1-capacity flow throughout substantially 'fthe -entirefperiod of operation.

Another object is to producesuch a valve which islreliable in operation, economical in construction, Vand whichv may 'bvreadily installed,fify desired, in existing structuresv as a `replacement for the usual ush tanks in oilic'ebuildings, dwellings, and the like, without necessitating: extensive changes in plumbing.

Still another object is to provide-aselfclosing flush valve `operable `from supply conduits: of relatively small diameter.

Other objects andl advantageswill hereinafter appear.

In accordance with the presentinvention I pro'- vide a self-closing lavatory flush .valve adapted to be opened by a manual leverand so' constructed and arranged thaty it will be retained in its' fully opened position for the` entire' lflushing period. At` .the end of such period the valve` closure mem'- ber is released automatically and-caused .to move smoothly and rapidly to its fully closed-position. 'fuitably` adjustable timing meansris provided =for regulating :the: totali period of operationr; indelpendently of: normal variation in 'the length of time the manual leverlfis held'. operated.

By virtue of the wide' open conditionfofv the valve throughout 'the `flushing period; the Yrfull availableA Vwater supply'.- ows continuously :until the moment' of closingsthusresulting. lnifa large total flow during 'a given-iiushingIcyclef With thesame available*'lnletcapacityg substantially twicethe outlet volume will vbe obtained Withrthe valve of the present invention as is obtainable withthe usual form of selfclosing*valve in which the valve'member is fullyopen vonly' at the start of the flushing period, and thereafter'slowly progressesl to the' "fully closed` position. Otherwise expressed, 1 the valve ot-the lpresentinven'- tion, `withitssustained `rfull capacity '..flow requires a much lower"rate of -iiow' in order to pass the'sameamountofvwater'during a given V:lashing period, thanthe maximum yrate lof iiow required with the gradually '-cl'o'sing Atype* `of valve. The valve closurememberand associatedparts. therefore, may be' of.' somewhat'. smaller size and/ or of shorter stroke,` andthe valvemaybe satisfactorily operated in a systemfemploying smaller supply conduits. As 'a matten-ofi fact,. under ynormal pressure conditionsythevvalveI may be suitably operated from 'therv usua111-half or three-quarter inchiwater pipesuemployedsin che usual'rtype of dwellings and, thereforeV maytreplace the -ordinary flush` tanks'in .existing buildings or be used in place thereoffin newiconstruction while permitting the sameeconomy in the. size of the supply conduits.

The construction"and1operation of my improved valve will bestlbe understood byreference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a verticalfs'ect-ional view ofA a flush valve constructedin accordance Witha preferred embodiment of the'V invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontalfsectional viewA taken on the line 2-2 'of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 isa horizontal 'sectionalview taken on the line 3--3 of Flg'xlf Y Fig. 4 isa fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4-ofFig."1;` and Fig is a bottom 'view ofthe valve lifting and vacuum retaining*memben` indicated. generally by the reference character Ain Fig. 1.

Referring to the "drawing, the valve mechanism comprises an outer cylindrical casing I0 having disposedtherein an inner'eccentrically disposed cylindrical valve enclosing easing I I and a float enclosing cylinder I2.: The casing Il! is closed at the upper'A end by a dome-shaped cover I3 into-which the' caslngs'fl I and I2 open. The cover I3 is` removably*V secured -in place by screws I4'.

Thercasing I'I' isclo'sedatthe lower end by a cap :I5 and casingzI is-clo'sed by a plug I 5. The spaceintermediate'casing II', I2 and casing I0 isclosedy atthe lower'endbya bottom wall I1.

An` inlet passageway "I8 having a "flanged Vend 'lll'extends'horizontally through4` the casing I2 into the casing I I and forms a seat for a float 2l contained Within the casing I2.' The passageway I8 terminatesin anannular. chamber 2.2 formed between the Wall of. .casing l2 Sand a cylindrical chamber 23 deflnedby the vertical cylindrical wall 24 and walls 25;.and'26.. The chamber 23 is retained concentricallyiwithin the chamber II by upper 'andlower web'fmembers 21 and 28, respectively, anda tlaring extension-.29 into which 3 the top, bottom and side walls of the chamber merge and form the outlet passageway 3l.

Valve seat inserts 32 and 33 are suitably threaded into the upper and lower members 21 and 28 upon which the integral valve members 34 and 35 are adapted to seat. A closure disk 35 is threaded into the chamber II above the valve closure member 34 and in turn has threaded thereinto a packing gland comprising the associated plug 31, cap 38, and packing material 39.

A valve stem 4 I, suitably connected to the valve closure assembly, passes through the gland and is threaded into the bottom of the valve lifting member A. This member comprises a fiat disk portion 42 having depending spaced ears 43, 44 and a bridging web 4'5, into the latter of which the valve stem is secured. A port 46 is provided in the disk portion 42 between the depending ears, this port being normally closed by a conical closure member or valve 41 carried by a lever 48 pivoted on a pin 49 threaded through one of the depending ears 43. The lever 48 extends through a slot 50 in the tubular float casing I2 and terminates in the upward path of the float 2 I.

Disposed above the disk 42 is a vacuum cup member I of convex shape and of suitable resilient material, such as rubber, adapted to grip the disk 42 and hold it by suction when the latter member is raisedinto contact therewith. The 'vacuum cup 5I is supported directly above the disk 42 by a bracket 52.

An operating lever 53 is pivoted on a pin 54 carried by lugs 55 formed on the outer wall of the enclosing casing. The lever 53 extends into the casing II and has the bifurcated end 55 thereof extending about thevalve stem 4I beneath the web portion 4`5 of the valve lifting member A.

A bleed passageway 51 extends from the lower end of chamber 23 into the tubular casing II, this passageway being formed in part in the wall of the casing and in part in a valve insert 58 threaded into the interconnecting wall. A needle valve 59 adjustably mounted in a plug 5t is. arranged n axial alignment with the passageway 51 to control the flow of water therethrough. The float 2l, contained in the tubular casing S2 may consist of a hollow body of thin corrosionresistant metal or other` material of a buoyant nature. 6I adapted to engage with a valve seat 62 threaded into the casing I2.

The operation of the valve is as follows: In the 'normally closed position of the valve with the valve closure members 34 and 35 resting on their respective seats, the water in the float casing I2 will -be below the level of the inlet passageway and the float 2l will be resting upon the upper wall of this passageway. Upon the manual depression of the lever 53 the valve lifting member A will be raised, thereby lifting the closure members 34 and 35 to open position and bringing the Ydisk 42 into gripping contact with the vacuum cup 5I, by which'the valve assembly will be retained in its uppermost or fullyopened position. Water will then flow at full capacity from the supply conduit through the inlet passageway I8, and the upper and lower valve ports', and will be discharged through the outlet passageway 3l.

A small regulated amount ofwwater will bleed through passageway 5l' into the float chamber I2 to raise the float ZI until, after a predetermined interval, it engages lever 48 to trip the same, opening the valve' 41 and breaking the vacuum in the cup 5I, whereupon the disk 42 It is provided with an upper conical face is suddenly released, permitting the valve assembly to drop by gravity to bring the valve closure members to their seats. The seating of the valve may be facilitated by making the area of the upper closure member 34 of somewhat greater area than the lower member 35.

As soon as the valve members are seated, water from the float chamber I2 drains through the passageway 51 permitting the float 2| to drop to its normal position.

The interval during which the valve is retained in its open position may be varied by suitable adjustment of the needle valve 59, this period starting the instant the valve is operated and being independent of any normal variations in the length of time the lever 53 is held depressed. Therefore, unless the lever is held operated for an abnormally long priod, the flushing period is always constant and may be adjusted to the most economical period. In case of a prolonged depression of the lever 53 the float 2| will, immediately after opening of the vacuum valve 41, engage the valve seat 62 to prevent water from rising further in the tube I2 and overowing into the upper chamber.

The valve is also compensating for line pressure since the rate of ilow through the valve outlet SI and through the bleeder passage 51 are both equivalent functions of the line pressure. Therefore, should the line pressure increase or decrease for any reason, the period of operation will be automatically shortened or lengthened to give approximately the same total flow.

As heretofore stated, the valve assembly is retained in its fully opened position until released bythe iloat 2l', after which it drops quickly and smoothly to its seat, thus giving full flow characteristics to the valve throughout the full flushing period. The inlet conduit I8 and associated supply pipes, therefore, may be of materially smaller diameter than in the case of flush valves which are open to the maximum capacity only at the start of the flushing cycle and which therefore require a relatively large initial flow. This characteristic permits the present valve to be employed in many existing installations where the water pressure or the supply conduit size is considered insuflicient to operate the usual type of flush valves.

Obviously, many changes may be made in the construction of the valve without departing from the essential characteristics thereof, and I contemplate all such changes as coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A nush valve comprising a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and a passageway therebetween, a valve seat in said passageway, a valve closure member normally resting on said seat and closing said passageway, means for moving said closure member from its seat to open said valve, vacuum means operative upon said movement for retaining said closure member from its seat and means operable by uid passing through said passageway for breaking said vacuum to release said valve closure member to close said valve.

2, A-flush valve comprising a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and a passageway therebetween, a valve seat in said passageway, a valve closure member normally resting on said seat and closing said passagewaypneans for moving said closure member from its seat to open said valve, `a vacuum cup member, means carried by said closure member adapted'to be lbrought; into Vacuum gripping relation with said vacuum cup member upon said movement to retain said closure member from its seat and means operable by fluid pressure through said passageway for breaking said vacuum to release said valve closure member to close said valve.

3. A ush Valve Comprising a easing having an inlet port, an outlet port and a passageway therebetween, a valve seat in said passageway, a valve closure member normally resting on said seat and closing said passageway, means for moving said closure member from its seat to open said valve, a vacuum cup member, means carried by said closure member adapted to be brought into Vacuum gripping relation with said vacuum cup member upon said movement to retain said closure member from its seat and timed delay means acting after a predetermined in- 6 terval for breaking said vacuum to release said valve closure member to close said valve.

4. A flush valve comprising a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and a passageway therebetween, a valve seat in said passageway, a valve Closure member normally resting on said seat and closing said passageway, means for moving said closure member from its seat to open said valve, a Vacuum cup member, means carried by said closure member adapted to be brought into Vacuum gripping relation with said vacuum cup member upon said movement to retain said closure member from its seat, a oat actuated by luid passing through said pasageway and Valve means operated by said oat for breaking said vacuum to release said valve closure member to close said valve.

JOSEPH SWEENEY.

No references cited. 

